MULLIDAE OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC 



407 



the Americas and again failed to find any speci- 

 men smaller than 72 mm. of the genus Mulloi- 

 dichthys, although at least one species of this 

 genus is not uncommon there. However, there 

 are several other factors that could account for a 

 failure to collect smaller specimens; e.g., failure 

 to collect in the proper locality, failure of this 

 species to come to a night light, and the possibility 

 that this is a diurnal rather than a nocturnal 

 species. 



Major physical changes occurring in these fishes 

 following the attainment of a benthic habitat are 

 replacement of the silvery or dark brown pelagic 

 coloration by the adult coloration and the acquisi- 

 tion of a more robust body shape. 



The scales of the small pelagic speciments shed 

 easily, whereas those of even the smallest metamor- 

 phosed specimens are much more firmly fixed. 



PSEUDUPENEUS MACULATUS (BLOCH) 



Sources of material and pertinent station data 

 are listed (table -2), and the locations of capture 

 are shown (fig. 2). 



DISTRIBUTION 



Briggs (1958) gave the range of Pseudupeneus 

 maculatus as "New Jersey and Bermuda to Rio de 

 Janeiro and the southern and northeastern Gulf 

 of Mexico." 



One specimen (table 2) was procured slightly 

 south of Rio de Janeiro (Santos, Brazil). This 

 was probably a market specimen, and the exact 

 location of its initial capture is uncertain. 



On two occasions, juveniles were captured in the 

 Gulf of Mexico in other than the southern or north- 

 eastern sectors (fig. 2). These were pelagic 

 specimens, and the locations of capture indicate 



Figure 2. — Locations of capture of Pseudupeneus maculatus and I'peneus parvus. 



